The Light
by CougarAlyce
Summary: Post Episode VII. Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run, there's still time to change the road you're on.
1. One

**A/N: An idea I had while hiking one day.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing :)**

* * *

Chapter One:

* * *

She had this dream for as long as she could remember.

A path stood in front of her, wide enough for two, but she walked alone.

She turned around and saw the same behind her, a sunny palace of solitude.

Rows of tall trees with red and tan bark lined the edges.

Leaves crunched beneath her feet.

The air was crisp and cool.

It cooled her bones and blew strands of hair from her face.

The sun wasn't hot and unforgiving like Jakku.

It shone between a gap in the trees, lighting up and warming her.

The tall trees had needles, some shorter ones had mustard and crimson leaves.

She stopped, closed her eyes and breathed in.

A hand caressed her shoulder, interrupting the momentary high she felt.

She turned around and opened her eyes.

* * *

She found herself staring at a ceiling once again.

This time, she was staring at the metal tiles of the Resistance barracks. She slammed her fist down against the foam mattress beneath her, frustrated by the interruption.

As usual, she spent her entire breakfast wondering about the strong hand that had touched her shoulder.

She rubbed the spot with one hand, the other hand placing part of a muffin in her mouth.

 _Rey._ A voice rang into her head. It was barely a whisper.

She looked around, startled by the intrusion of her thoughts. There were a few others around, but none near enough to speak to her so quietly.

She shook her head in confusion, believing that it was her imagination.

She saw Finn enter the commissary and shot a hand up in the air to wave.

He nodded back, shooting her a sleepy smile.

She smiled to herself, still chomping on her muffin.

Her friend sat across from her, his forehead wrinkled with distress.

"Finn, is everything okay?" She said, placing her empty muffin wrapper on the table.

"Have you talked to the General this morning?" He stuck out his lip as he spoke, a sign that he was disgusted by something.

"No, Finn.." She looked him in the eyes. "What's going on?"

"Our technology has detected First Order ships." He swallowed. "They know where we are."

"How could they possibly.." Rey shook her head. "They want Luke.."

"They will stop at nothing to have him. They want blood, Rey." His eyes were piercing.

 _Rey._ The voice was louder this time. It rang through her ears, her head throbbing.

Finn saw her wince and grabbed her hand in concern.

"Rey?"

"Did you hear that?" Her face was twisted with confusion. She froze in place.

"Hear what?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

 _He can't hear me, Rey._ The voice whispered, and a chill went up her spine.

The voice was deep, nasally, and oddly familiar.

She left the commissary quickly, leaving Finn with a strange look on his face.

Rey jogged to her room, where she cracked the door closed behind her.

She leaned up against the wall and slid herself to the floor, holding her hand over her forehead.

 _Rey, focus on me._

She pinched her mouth together, concentrating. The veins of life became visible around her as she released her mind to the Force.

 _Am I crazy?_

 _No, Rey. You're not crazy._

 _Who are you?_

 _That's not important. I have something urgent to tell you._

She huffed. _What gives you the right to get into my head?_

 _Well, to be honest, you aren't exactly stopping anyone._ The voice let out a small laugh.

 _Get on with it, then. What do you want? I have a meeting to attend._

The voice let out a breath. _I know. I know what they're going to tell you in there. The First Order has found the Resistance base and they're coming for Luke Skywalker.._

Rey was now crossing her arms, a single strand of sweaty hair hung in her face. _I already knew that. How do you know all of this anyway?_

 _That doesn't matter. Rey, it's not just Luke Skywalker they are after. It's you too._

She rolled her eyes. Now she was irritated. _Why would they be after me? There's really nothing special about me._

The voice let out an exasperated laugh. _You know there is._ _There are only a select few people in the Universe that can speak like we are right now. You're strong with the Force, and the First Order wants to destroy you, or force you to join them._

 _Why are you telling me this?_ She unfolded her arms, tossing them in the air.

 _I want to protect you._

She shook her head. _Why should I trust you?_

* * *

The memory of a dream.

A path stands in front of him.

It's wide enough for two, but he walks this path alone.

He turns around, an agonizing storm behind him.

The frigid cold wind touches his face and puts his steps in motion.

He walks briskly up the trail, noticing tall trees all the way.

At the beginning of his walk, the trees are bare.

He progresses down the trail, and the trees start to show leaves.

Shades of bronze, marigold, and maroon litter the trees and the ground.

The leaves crunch beneath his feet.

That's when he sees her.

A woman stands ahead on the trail, alone.

He retreats into the trees, out of sight.

She stops and turns around.

He remains motionless, holding his breath so she won't notice his presence.

She continues walking ahead.

He wipes the sweat from his brow and returns to the path, following her.

He notices the way she looks at the trees with wonder.

The sun sparkles off of her skin, warming her body with its generous light.

She stops, closing her eyes and allowing the cool wind to flow through her hair.

He inches closer, longing to touch her warm skin.

Her face is toward the sky, and she's breathing deeply.

He reaches forward and places his hand on her shoulder.

A feeling like electricity jolts through his body.

The storm behind him disappears.

She begins to turn at his touch.

He instantly recognizes her now.

The scavenger from Jakku.

A smile begins to form on her face.

He never fully sees her face before he wakes up.

* * *

During the interrogation, when he swam through her memories, he saw it: his hand touching her shoulder.

He had been there, but she had no idea it was him.

 _That dream you have. Someone touches your shoulder._

 _How do you.._ She shook her head.

He cut her off. _That's me._


	2. Two

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait, nursing school and work got the better of me.**

 **Again, I own nothing.**

* * *

Chapter Two:

* * *

She attempted to respond to the voice but received no answer.

It felt as if the person on the other end was blocking her words.

She shook her head in frustration and headed to the meeting room.

She arrived five minutes late, and heads turned as she opened the door.

Her eyes refused to make eye contact with anyone, and a blush filled her cheeks.

"Rey.." The General's voice trailed off, searching her face. "Is everything alright, dear?"

"I'm fine." A fake smile spread across her face as she sat next to Finn.

A tinge of anger swarmed in Rey's head as she made eye contact with Leia, but it felt foreign.

Rey wasn't angry, she was confused more than anything else.

She tried to relax in her seat but felt an unsettling presence.

It was as if she was being watched by an unseen entity.

She reassured herself that the feeling was a result of paranoia and focused her attention on the General.

"Now, as I was saying, our scanners have detected First Order ships headed toward our location. We are not sure how they located us. At this point, it doesn't matter. Any chance of evacuation without detection would be impossible at this point. They made it far too close to us undetected." She looked around the room, making eye contact with Rey especially.

"So, what's the plan then?" Poe held out his hands and leaned back in his chair. "Obviously we have to fight."

"C-3PO will inform you of the plans for battle. Commander Dameron, you and the rest of the Black Squadron will report to him immediately."

"Yes, General." He nodded and rose from his seat, motioning for his pilots to follow suit.

After the Black Squadron retreated from the conference room, Leia nodded at the remaining occupants.

"Now, as they prepare to lead us in battle, we have another pressing subject to discuss."

She waited for everyone's attention before she continued.

"We know that the First Order has come here for a reason." She clenched her mouth. "They want Luke."

"Where is he?" Finn piped up.

"Luke is safe in on another planet in the Unknown Regions. He escaped with a squadron early this morning. I have ordered that they are not to return until the First Order retreats."

"Aren't they after him because he's strong with the Force? What about you and Rey?" Finn raised an eyebrow in worry.

"Because we aren't as powerful as Luke, I don't believe we are in any immediate danger at this time." The General nodded. "You're all dismissed for now. We will meet back here at 12:00 to discuss strategy."

Finn touched Rey's arm as if to stop her, but she ignored him and walked to her room.

 _She underestimates you. The First Order wants you more than Luke Skywalker. They will stop at nothing to have you._

 _I don't understand... What am I to do?_ She pulled a lock of sweaty hair from her forehead and tucked it behind her ear.

 _If you come with me, I can protect you._

 _What if I don't come with you? What if I stay here and fight?_ Anger radiated through her mind. _  
They will destroy the Resistance. They will kill your friends, Rey. As I said, they will do whatever it takes to have you._

 _What if give myself to the First Order?_ She was bold, noble. He liked that.

 _You will join the dark side. You will be tortured into submission. You will become one of them, or be destroyed. You will help them take down the Resistance._

 _And if I come with you and hide, they will leave the Resistance alone?_ She was torn.

 _They will still fight, but once they know you're gone, they will retreat. Having you is of a much higher priority than destroying the Resistance. Without you, there would be no guarantee of success for the First Order._

 _And if I come with you, you'll make sure they can't find me?_

 _I'll protect you._

He felt a sense of confusion running through her head.

 _What is it, Rey? What's bothering you?_

 _I don't even know who you are, and I have no reason to trust you._ She paused, taking a deep breath. _But, it's strange... I can physically feel that you're being honest with me. I know that what you're saying is true._

She felt a warm energy radiate through her body as if she was feeling the voice smile at her.

 _Rey, I have a plan for you to get out of there. Listen carefully to what I'm telling you. Do you feel comfortable flying an X-wing fighter?_

 _I'd say I'm adept at pretty much any model._ A smug smile hit her face.

 _You're going to take one. I'll tell you how to remove the tracking device. It's the same in all of them. It's very important that the Resistance doesn't know where you are going._

He walked her through the steps several times until she had them memorized.

 _You'll escape when you are sure that the rest of them are in the conference room. Then, they won't be able to respond to the message of a stolen X-wing as quickly._

 _Will do._ Rey's voice was confident.

 _When you're on the ship, I'll give you the coordinates to my location._

 _Are you already there?_ He sensed fear in her voice.

 _Yes. I'll see you soon._

* * *

He stood at the edge of a short cliff, staring down at the green sea below.

The cool air pricked his face, raising goosebumps down his arms.

It had been a long time since he had felt the air against his skin.

He removed his cloak and let the air filter through the breathable fabric that clung to his skin.

The forest called to him, and he walked toward it.

Tall trees lined a natural walkway and the ground was littered with brightly colored leaves.

He recognized it instantly as the path that had, for so long, filled his dreams.

He closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of the frigid air and freshly fallen leaves.

 _I'm on the fighter. Tell me how to get there._

He kept his eyes closed, reciting the coordinates to her.

 _I'll be there soon._ She sounded nervous, and he didn't blame her.

This was a big risk, but she still trusted him enough to come.

He slowly walked the forest, following the natural path that was laid out before him.

It was wide enough for two, but he walked alone.

Soon, he felt a restlessness in his mind.

He knew, then, that she had arrived.

For a reason he could not explain, a nervous feeling hit his stomach.

Although he sensed her, she did not alert him that she was there.

He stopped in his tracks and wondered whether he should say something.

Instead, he stood looking at the trees, his hair blowing in the soft winds.

Soon, he heard leaves crunching in front of him and retreated into the shelter of the trees.

There, in the familiar path, she stood.

Her eyes were focused, in amazement, on the trees around her.

She closed her eyes and released her hair from the buns that cascaded down her head.

The wind kneaded through her hair, simultaneously tangling and untangling her chestnut locks.

He silently stepped from the forest, moving in her direction.

He walked carefully, preserving the moment that she was enjoying.

When he was within inches of her, he reached out and placed his ungloved hand on her shoulder.

An electric feeling ran through both of their bodies.

Instead of turning, she let her eyes remain closed and reached her hand back to touch the one on her shoulder.

Blue sparks visibly radiated from their hands.

At this, she jumped and dropped her hand.

Finally, she turned to look at him.

Their eyes met, and her lips parted in surprise.

He felt her pulse rising with every second, and she felt his doing the same.

 _You._


	3. Three

A/N: I apologize for not posting in some time. I was accepted into medical school and I've had to do a lot of post-bacc work to prepare. I hope to have more chapters soon!

* * *

Chapter Three:

* * *

 _You._

She regarded him for a long moment, his black hair blowing in the wind.

His eyes blackened as she scanned his body.

Her eyes lingered over the scar that she had left before looking into his eyes.

She reached to her belt and in one swift motion, unclasped and ignited the blue lightsaber.

He reached his hand up to stop her, backing himself up into a tree.

 _Rey, please._

"You do not have permission to speak in my mind."

She held the lightsaber up to his throat. He could feel the warmth singe the hairs on his Adam's apple as he swallowed.

"You're a traitor, a murderer! I should kill you." Her blade inched closer, almost burning his skin.

He grimaced in pain, forcing himself to stand as flush as possible to the tree.

"Why did you do it?" She screamed, and images of Han Solo passed between them.

He closed his eyes, ignoring the question.

"You will not ignore me." She lowered the blade, striking his leg with the lightsaber.

He felt to the ground in pain, blood rushing from his thigh.

"Answer. Me." She hovered over him, her legs straddling his and one hand upon his chest. In the other hand, she clutched the lightsaber. Once again, she moved it to his throat.

He refused to open his eyes, but soon his eyelids were filled with flashes of Han Solo's lifeless body falling into the abyss.

He winced, trying to wish them away, and the lightsaber pierced the skin on his throat.

* * *

Soon, he was back on the bridge with his father.

"Anything." Han Solo said as he grabbed the other end of the lightsaber.

Before he had a second to think, Kylo Ren ignited the lightsaber.

He felt a cold sweat as he watched his father's body change into a lifeless vessel.

Han Solo fell off of the bridge, a blank look in his eyes.

Kylo Ren jumped after him, his arms reaching toward the blackness.

 _Father._ He called out to the Force. Nothing answered but silence.

 _Ben…_ A distant echo called through the recesses of his mind. His father's body remained motionless as it tumbled.

 _Father.._ He felt his body get weaker and tightened his eyes, weeping. He had finally done it. He had completed Snoke's final task.

 _Ben, please!_ Suddenly he was shaking. It was so cold. Hands were on his face. He blinked tears from his eyes as he opened them.

* * *

"Don't move." She ordered, her hands clutching at his throat. "I've cut you and you're bleeding profusely."

She closed her eyes, and a warm glow moved from her hands to his neck.

He felt the warmth spread through his body as she healed his wound.

After what seemed like hours, she finally let go of his neck and dropped to the ground beside him.

He felt the ground move as she thumped beside him.

As he rose to assess her condition, a dizziness clouded his head.

He fell back to the ground and turned his head in her direction.

She stared at him with wide eyes, breathing heavily from exhaustion.

"Force! It worked!" She barely managed to whisper, her eyes rolling back into her head.

"Rey.." He reached out to touch her face.

Her eyes fluttered open and she let out a heavy sigh.

 _I thought I had lost you._ Regret flickered across her eyes.

 _You.. saved me._ His face twisted. _Why?_

 _I saw it.. All of it. You didn't want to kill him, did you?_

His throat tightened and he felt tears pricking his eyes once again.

He pushed himself from the ground and turned away, dizziness once again filling his head.

She moved behind him, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"We should get back to your ship. We both need rest." She broke the silence, startling him.

He turned to look at her, his eyes red and moist.

Her face was empathetic, but she said nothing. Instead, she held out her hand for him to take.

He did, and she weakly led him toward the command ship.

* * *

Once there, he pressed a small blue button on his shirt, and the stairs descended. He led the way, opening the door and allowing her to pass through before withdrawing the ramp.

Though still lightheaded, he managed to start a fire and request nourishment for the both of them from his droid.

While he did this, Rey managed to find a bed and lay down.

His face began to feel paled from standing and he stumbled to his bedroom, where he found her already occupying his bed.

Unable to decide whether or not to join her, he lost consciousness quickly and slumped to the floor.

* * *

Hours later, he awoke in his bed. His clothes were in a pile on the floor, only his undergarments still clinging to the sweat on his body. His leg was bandaged, a tinge of crimson showing through the bright white gauze.

Rey laid on the opposite side of the bed, her eyes softly closed and her hair removed from its tight buns.

He closed his eyes and allowed himself to enter her mind.

He stood watching her as she faced an ocean. A soft white dress was clinging to her small frame, her hair blowing in a breeze.

He felt the warm sand beneath his toes as he walked to stand next to her.

Her eyes were closed, but a smile slowly spread across her face.

"I thought you'd never come."

"Where are we?"

"Home." She opened her eyes.

"This is where you're from?"

She turned to him, her eyes sparkling. "No, but it's the only place where I've felt like it."

He closed his eyes as a breeze blew through his onyx hair.

"I've never been anywhere so.."

"Peaceful." She interrupted him, a bright smile on her face.

"Exactly."

They stood there for a moment, watching as the waves crashed onto the shore.

"We should wake up and eat some food." She groaned, not wanting to leave this place.

"Yes, we should."

* * *

He opened his eyes to see her face, wrinkled from sleep.

She rose from her position, her hair in a tangle.

"Alice." Rey called and the droid came buzzing in. "I think we're ready to eat now."

"Yes ma'am! It'll be here shortly!" The droid beeped and whizzed out of the bedroom.

"I take it you've met?" He laughed quietly.

"Yes, Alice is the one that aided me in getting you into the bed." Rey nodded nervously. "Can I see that bandage?" She motioned toward his leg and he nodded.

Carefully she kneeled down and plucked the gauze from the crimson-stained wound.

He winced and she mumbled a "Sorry."

She saturated a new gauze with clear solution and reapplied it to the gash, taping the corners.

She stepped back and pressed her hands together.

"Thank you." A smirk crossed his face, but she didn't meet his eyes.

She mumbled a sound and silently walked to the living area, where a jug of blue milk sat next to two plates of protein loaf.

She silently look a seat at the table, waiting for him.

Her changed demeanor caused him to raise an eyebrow, and after a few moments of dizziness, he followed.

"Rey.. Is everything..?"

Before he could get more words out, Alice rushed back in the room and placed a bowl of fruits on the table.

Rey's eyes grew wide with wonder and she plucked a small berry from the bowl, studying it's every angle.

"Hsuaberry. Native to Corellia." As he spoke, she nibbled on the berry.

Finally, she made eye contact with him.

The look in her eyes was one of hurt and confusion.

"Rey.."

"So, when are you taking me back to the First Order?" She pressed her lips together until they disappeared.

"What?" His face twisted.

"I saw the communication records. I know you're taking me prisoner."


End file.
